Time-controlled switch for radioreceivers



April 7, 1931. J. SKARBEK I'll! CONTROLLED SIITCH FOR RADIORBCBIVBRS Filed Doc. 26: 1928 2 Shoots-Sheet 1 April 7, 1931. J. SKARBEK TIIE CONTROLLED SWITCH FOR RADIORBCBIVBRS Filed 26. 1928 2 Sheets-Shoot 2 Patented Apr. 7, 1931 UNITED STATES JOHN SKARBEK, F HEGEWISCH, ILLINOIS TIME-CONTROLLED SWITCH FOR RADIORECEIVERS Application filed December 26, 1928.

My invention relates to a time controlled switch for radio receivers, that is amecha nism for controlling the electrical circuit, usually the filament circuit of a radio receiver so that the latter may be set to operate for a predetermined period during the reception of a certain broadcast or program of the frequency to which the receiver is tuned and then to automatically stop the reception at a predetermined time. Also the device may be used to advantage by a listener who desires to retire with the radio going on. In this latter instance the present device will automatically shut ofi the radio obviating the necessity for a listener to rise and shut off the radio.

Another object of the present invention is to-provide a time controlled mechanism for radio receivers which is set to close the circuit so: of the receiver and which includes a clock mechanism adapted at the termination of the period of time for which the receiver is set to operate, to actuate the mechanism which will open the electrical circuit or switch control- :a" ling the same, thereby obviating the necessity of an attendant manually operating the switch to open the circuit and insuring that the operation will be stopped and wasting of the batteries or electricity avoided. It often 7 happens that due to inattention a person will allow a radio receiver to continue the opera tion beyond a certain broadcast or such person will forget to turn ofi' the receiver after a certain broadcasting station has tuned off or 35. the broadcast has been completed. The present device causes the switch controlling the electrical or filament circuit of the radio receiver to be opened at a desired time or at the completion of a broadcasting program to close without manually actuating the same after the device is once set, and thereby avoids rapid consumption of tubes and batteries.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel com- Serial No. 328,394.

binations and arrangements of parts to be hereinafter more particularly pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of my time controlled mechanism or switch for radio receivers, the casing thereof being in section to disclose the mechanism in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2 with the back of the casing and the lower part of the mechanism omitted;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front elevation of the casing together with the setting knob of the mechanism and'the calibrated dial cooperating therewith as seen on line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a master spur gear constituting part of the clock mechanism of the present device; v

Fig. 7 is an edge view of the spur gear shown on Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a shaft having a tooth cooperating with notches on the hub of the spur gear to set the mechanism to operate a predetermined duration of time.

Referring to the drawings in detail 9 des ignates a casing preferably of rectangular shape and of metal, adapted to house the mechanism of the present device. This casing may be provided with a removable back or door 10 and at the top receives the insulated conductors 11 and 12 controlling the electrical or filament circuit of the radio receiver, the conductors or wires being extended through openings in the casing and insulated therefrom. These wires are connected with individual binding posts 13 mounted on a block 14 of suitable insulation of hard rubher or other dielectric material supported at the underside of the casing top. These binding posts are formed with contacts 15 and 16 shown with concave recesses in their ends projecting from the opposite side of the block 14 and adapted to be spanned by a movable contact 17 convened or shaped to fit the concavities of the stationary contacts 15 and 16 and to close the electrical circuit through the latter so that the radio receiver will operate.

The following mechanism is adapted to actuate the movable contact for opening the electrical circuit to stop the operation of the receiver after a predetermined duration of time. Mounted within casing 9 is a clock mechanism including a frame havinga front plate 18 and a back plate 19 connected by the usual corner posts 20 which may be extender as at 21 to detachably mount the mechanism 7 within the casing 9. I

The plates support a clock Work train such as is usually employed with an ordinary alarm clock, including the gear'train 22, the escapement mechanism 23 having the usual balance wheel 24 and spring 25 attached at the back to a support 26. This mechanism operates in the-usual way and no further description thereof is deemed necessary.

Mounted in the back plate 19 to turn therein is the hub of ratchet wheel or pinion 27 and extended in the endof the hub is a dishedplate 28 fixed thereto as at 29 to contain the main spring 30 of the clock mechanism. One end of the spring is connected to the peripheral portion of the plate 28 as at 31, and the opposite end is fixed by a pin or rivet 32 to the hub portion of a master pinion or spur gear '33 which hub is provided with a ret ed sleeve extension 34 upon its front face having a series of radial notches 35 at its frontedge. The hub extension may ,be' formed integrally with the hub proper but for convenience, it is shown as a separate piece riv eted to the hub proper as indicated at 36. The reduced port-ion or sleeve 34 of the hub may have bearing in a brace 37 anchored in the frame as indicated at 38. A suitable ratchet dog or pawl 39 may be mounted upon the back plate operated by a lever 40 to engage the teeth of the wheel or pinion 27 to prevent the spring from unwinding. In order to wind the spring 30, the hub of the wheel 27 is adapted toreceive a suitable key and is shown internally threaded as at 41 for this purpose; the key maybe inserted by removing the back 10 or through a suitable opening 42 in the back of the casing.

Apin shaft 43 is received in the hub of the wheel 27 and extends axially through the spring and the'hub of the pinion 33 so as to project forwardly of the sleeve 34. A shaft 44 extends through an opening in the front of the casing 9 in alinement with the shaft 43 and carries an'operating knob 45 which may be pinned thereto. as indicated at 46 or otherwise fixed to the shaft 44 and this knob has an indicator or pointer 47 adapted to cooperate with a calibrated dial 48 on the pansible coil spring 53 is mounted on the shaft44 between the front plate 18 and the arm 52 to normally hold the shaft 44 inwardly displaced so that the tooth 51 will engage in one of the notches 85 and when so engaged will be held iii-this position. A cross arm or lever 54 is pivoted at 55 on the front plate 18 and the upper end thereof is bent rearwardly as at 56 tosupport a. block or plate 57 of insulation, the portion 56 being apertured to take fastening screws 58 for supporting the block on which the movable contact 17 is mounted. The plate or block 57 extends downwardly and is preferably tapered towards its lower end to clear the front plate 18 and has its lower end disposed in the path of the free end of the arm 52 which is preferably enlarged as indicated at 59. The movable contact 17 is normally held in engagement with the stationary contacts 15 and 16 so as to bridge the same and close the electrical circuit to the radio receiver for causing its operation, assuming that the receiver has been properly tuned in for a particular broadcast- For this purpose the lower end of the arm is connected to one endof the relatively weak for sensitive retractile spring 60 as by means of a notch 61 in which one end of the spring is hooked and the other end of the spring is anchored to the front plate 18 in any suitable manner as indicated at 62. The spring 60 thusexerts sufficient tension to fold the lower end of the cross arm or lever 54 to the leftas. indicated in Fig. 1, thereby moving the upper end of said cross arm to the right so that the movable contact 17 will engage the stationary contacts 15 and 16,

In the operation of the device, assuming that the radio receiver has been tuned in for a certain broadcast which is to continue for a predetermined period of time, a person de siring to-hear the broadcast sets the dial or knob 45 so-that the receiver-will remain in cirs cuitand operate for a predetermined period of time. Y

In the first place, it is of course to beundierstood that the spring 30 has been wound and the circuit through the electrical conductors 11 and 12 is closed through the contacts 1. and 16 by the bridging contact 17 in which position it is held by the spring 60. The operator then turns the kneb'or dial 45 to the.

rightto bring the pointer 47 opposite a calibration of the dial 48sOtl-1attheradio receivmg set will operate for a predetermined pcriod of time during which the broadcast is to extend. That is, the pointer 47 is moved to an hour designation on the dial for one, two or more hours or fraction of an hour.

In doing this, the operator must pull out the knob 45 of the dial to engage the tooth 51 from a notch 35 against the action of the spring 53 so that the shaft 44 and the knob may be freely turned to a desired position. In doing this, the arm 52 is turned away from the block 57 which constitutes an abutment for engagement thereby. The receiver is then allowed to operate and with the operation of the clock mechanism the switch becomes time controlled and owing to the fact that arm 52 rotates slowly with its shaft corresponding to the hour hand of a clock, the arm 52 will strike the abutment formed by block 57 at the end of the time interval and will continue to move further until the lever 54 is swung on its pivot 55 against the action of the spring to disengage the movable contact 17 from the stationary contacts 15 and 16 and open the circuit of the radio receiver so that the operation of the latter will be stopped. It is of course to be understood that when the dial is set at a certain point and the knob 45 is released, the spring 53 will force the shaft 44 inwardly and cause the tooth 51 to engage in the desired notch 35 of the hub of the spur gear 33 which is turned by the main spring 30 and as the lower end of the lever 54 has an inturned portion 63 operating in an opening 64 in the front plate, when the portion 63 engages the balance wheel 24 after the switch is opened, the clock mechanism will be brought to a stop and will remain in this position until the device is reset as already described.

While there is described herein a preferred embodiment of the present invention it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is In a time controlled switch for radio receivers, the combination with a switch controlling the operating circuit of the receiver and including a pair of stationary contacts in the circuit and a movable contact for bridging said stationary contacts, a clock mechanism, an arm movable with the clock mechanism to engage the movable contact, means normally holding said movable contact in engagement with the stationary contacts, means for setting the arm to a desired position so that it will engage the movable contact after a certain time interval and move it out of engagement with the stationary contacts to open the circuits to the receiver, a calibrated dial, a knob having a point cooperating with the dial, and adjustable connection between the knob and the clock mechanism and carrying the arm for setting the latter in a predetermined position away from the movable contact according to the time interval indicated on the dial whereby at the end of said time the arm will open the switch by disengaging the movable contact from the stationary contacts, and means operated by movement of the movable contact to cause a cessation of the operation of the clock mechanism.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN SKARBEK. 

